SIP Delay Cost Calculator — Price of Starting Late
Real-World Examples — 2026
₹10,000/month — delay of 3 years at 12%
Start now (20 years): ₹99.9 lakh. Start in 3 years (17 years): ₹73.6 lakh. Cost of delay: ₹26.3 lakh. You also miss 36 months of actual investment (₹3.6 lakh) but the compounding loss is ₹22.7 lakh extra.
Delay from age 25 vs 30 — massive difference
₹5,000/month SIP at 12%: start at 25 (35 years to 60): ₹3.24 crore. Start at 30 (30 years): ₹1.76 crore. Five-year delay costs ₹1.48 crore. Starting 5 years earlier nearly doubles the retirement corpus.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do I lose by delaying SIP by 3 years?
₹10,000/month SIP at 12% for 20 years = ₹99.9 lakh. Starting 3 years later (17 years): ₹73.6 lakh. Cost of 3-year delay: ₹26.3 lakh — you delay for 3 years but lose ₹26 lakh permanently, even though you eventually invest for 17 years total. This is the power of compounding.
Why does starting early matter so much in SIP?
Early years matter most because the corpus grows exponentially in later years. The last 5 years of a 20-year SIP contribute 3–4× more to the final corpus than the first 5 years, because earlier units have been compounding for 15–20 years. Missing the early years has disproportionate impact.
Is it too late to start SIP at age 40?
Starting at 40 is better than not starting. A ₹20,000/month SIP at 12% for 20 years (until 60) = ₹1.99 crore. Starting at 35 for 25 years: ₹3.73 crore. The 5-year difference costs ₹1.74 crore. But ₹2 crore is still a meaningful retirement corpus — start now.
Is the Cost of SIP Delay Calculator free?
Yes, completely free on CalcPhi.
Are my inputs stored?
No. Calculations run in your browser.
Is it mobile-friendly?
Yes. Works on all smartphones.